There are many laboratories in the world working and specializing in detergents. Each one is trying to produce the best detergent that would be the easiest to remove stains.
Each company claims its detergents are the best, giving you a power-cleaning wash and removing the toughest stains.
In the spiritual world, we find that the spiritual heart is a sensitive entity and easily stained. Some stains are easy to remove; others are tough to do away with.
Thus, the spiritual heart also requires detergents for the heart to remain ‘whiter than white’, ‘brighter than bright’ or ‘super bright’ – as we read in different advertisements.
Those stains of the spiritual heart (i.e. one’s minor sins) are easy to remove and are washed away with the water of Wudhu (ablution), Salah, and many different Ibadat, all of which have the effect of removing the stains of sins, according to the Ahadith.
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
‘Whoever performed Wudhu and performed it well (i.e. according to the prescribed rules), all his sins will go out, even from under his nails.’[1]
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
‘Each of the five Salahs expiates the sins committed since the Salah preceding it.’[2]
The ‘Ulama mention that Ahadith of this nature refer to minor sins. Major sins require sincere Taubah.
Major sins leave ‘tough’ stains, requiring a hard wash with a strong detergent. The power detergents, which remove the big and unsightly blotches and splotches of major sins on the spiritual heart, are sincere taubah and Istighfar. If one wants a bright white spiritual heart, then the ‘bleach’ of Zikrullah should be used – just as we use bleach to whiten garments. Of course, its effect on our hearts depends on our sincerity, abstinence from all sins, and obedience to Allah Ta’ala and Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)
If the stains of major sins are not removed, the heart not only becomes pitch black, it becomes hard, and at this stage, the person’s Iman is on dangerous ground.
Allah Ta’ala mentions in the Qur’an Sharif:
“… No! But that which they used to commit has covered their hearts with rust.”
[Surah Mutaffifin 83:14]
The rust that accumulates with indulgence in sins covers the heart and deprives the person of the ability to distinguish between good and bad, right and wrong, Haq (Truth) and Batil (Falsehood).
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) explained:
“When a Mu’min (believer) sins, a black dot appears on his heart. If he repents and seeks Allah’s forgiveness, his heart becomes cleansed and polished. If he continues to commit more and more sins (without repenting), the spot continues to spread and ultimately covers all of his heart.”[3]